Week One

Getting started

This devotional is 90 days, or 13 weeks long.  It is designed to accompany any type of weight loss program.  Thirteen weeks gives us 1 week to do some “prep” work, and 12 weeks to carry out our individual plans and achieve our goals.  The prep work can be challenging, but it is critical.  Even if you are already on a diet or program, please take the time to read and complete these first steps.  They will compliment any program.  For those of you who are ready to make some eating and exercise changes, but don’t know what to do, this first week will help you get your plan together.

Regardless of your starting point I believe you will find this devotional provides you with emotional and spiritual support that enables you to achieve your goals in a way you have not been able to in the past.  It wasn’t until I put my two desires- my desire to lose weight, and my desire to grow in the Lord, together that I achieved any long term success.  You will be blessed as you come to realize how much easier your goals are to achieve when you use the power of God’s word as your source of strength and motivation.

Day One

You’re not alone!

We are in this struggle together.  You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know I am still in the midst of it.  -Philippians 1:30 NLT

Over the next few weeks, you are going to hear my story.  Chances are, you will see yourself in it.  Though the details are different, you will see we share a few things in common.  We are women.  We have a desire to improve ourselves.  Most importantly, we are all daughters to the King of kings!

I believe this common sisterly bond will help you achieve your hearts desire.  I believe that as you read about my journey; as you laugh, and cry with me, you will realize that you are not alone.  Your struggles, your failures, your fears, have been experienced by many women just like you.  The good news is, there is hope.  There is more than hope.  There is Truth.  And the Truth is the victory is yours (Romans 8:37 NLT). You simply have to be willing to take a few steps out of your comfort zone.

Before we begin I need to be clear about something.  I am not a Dr, a dietician, a fitness trainer, or anything “professional” in the fitness or medical field (unless there is such a thing as a professional dieter in which case I am a triple PhD).  I will not be giving you a specific meal plan or workout to do.  Sure, I will give my personal opinion on what I like best, but that is simply based on my experience.  Just as God made each of us unique, you are going to approach your weight loss in the way that is best for you.  In fact, that is the biggest part of your journey- figuring out what is best for you. 

The good news is, you have a personal trainer to help you develop your weight loss plan.  He is all knowing, all powerful, and omni present (which means he knows when you are sneaking into the cookie jar).  That’s right, the same God who created you and all your delicate inner parts (Psalm 139:13), is the same One you are going to go to for help in determining what is best for you!

If you are at all like me, you are anxious to get started.  If you do not “do something” today that feels like a diet, you will go to bed feeling like you haven’t made any progress.  You may even feel a little anxiety creep in which causes you to reach for the nearest pint of ice cream.  Well, I hear your cry, and I feel your pain.  So, here’s the deal- if you already know what “diet” you want to do- go ahead and get started, but know this- you need to be open to the Holy Spirit if he later tries to steer you in another direction.  Just be open. 

For those of you who haven’t a clue what “diet” or program to follow, but would like to find one, I suggest you go to the library and check out a couple.  My favorites would be the Abs Diet for Women, Body for Life, Body for Life for Women, and Body by God.  I like them because they are easy to understand and follow.  If you planned on doing another program and I didn’t just list it, don’t freak out- it’s not that you picked a bad one, I just wanted to list my personal favs. I’ve never been a big calorie counter and these ones don’t focus so much on that. Remember, we are all wonderfully complex- in different ways, which means different fitness and food plans are going to appeal to each of us differently.

The rest of you can sit tight for now.  By the end of the week you will all have specific goals and plans on how to get there.  Spend some time today looking at and identifying some of the habits that are currently preventing you from being in the shape you wish to be in.  We’ll start taking on those habits soon.

What I want you to understand most for today is this: You are not alone!  Ask any woman her story and she will tell you one similar to yours.  As the verse says: you may be in this struggle, but we are in it together!

Dear Heavenly Father, I confess there are times when I feel all alone in my struggle to lose weight.  I am sure nobody else struggles as hard as I do.  I have even felt as though there must be something wrong with me at times.  I thank you Lord for helping me see that I am not alone.  I thank you that there are others who have struggled and will understand what I am feeling.  I ask you Lord to start sending other women into my life who share this struggle and can help me.  Most of all Lord I thank you that I am never alone, as you are always with me!  In Jesus’ name, Amen.